Coming Soon to a blog near you – The Bead Hoarders Blog Hop!

Lori, as you may remember from some of my earlier posts, does a Bead Soup Blog Hop. I took part in it here. She also wrote a really fun book based on her experiences hosting the Blog Hop. You can find it on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.

This time, she came up with a slightly different idea. In her own words:

So what’s this blog hop design challenge about? Well, I’ve noticed that I’m really, really good at collecting beads, but not so good at parting with them! I’ve amassed a scary number of beads that need to see the light of day. I have excuses — lots of excuses. This one is too special, this set cost a lot more than I usually spend, this set needs just the right accent beads.

Enough excuses! It’s time to play! Want to join me? Here’s how!

That’s it! You use your own hoarded stash and make as many pieces as you like.

You know, I decided I just had to do it.

So… I actually have to say I sort of was planning cheating. I have this tutorial I wrote a while back called “If Money Grew on Trees.” I had a sample. It was cool, but needed a better chain – it was really just a pendant. I sold it. That was a bad idea because three or four years later, I still hadn’t remade the sample so couldn’t really sell the tutorial. And also, the tutorial needed an overhaul.

Anyhow, so I grabbed the stuff I’d been hoarding for it FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.

And started creating. And I hated it.

Go figure.

I just wasn’t working out.

So… I have this soutache thing going on now. You know, that thing I taught at Bead & Button? Folks seem to dig it just now. Anyhow, I had an awful lot of green soutache left over after B&B and the Baltimore Best Bead Show. I haven’t really been HOARDING it since I just bought it about a month ago. But… it was just sitting there. Eyeballing me. Sorta saying “neener neener.” You know how soutache does that, right?

Laurie’s going to make it an annual event, so keep next summer free and join in with us! Meanwhile, I’m eyeballing this pile of keishi pearls. My original idea was to use them for this blog hop, but after I took them out and played with them, they went right back into my stash. Hoarder much? 😉

Here’s the finished piece!

Here’s the whole darned list, just in case you want to hop and comment!